Many passenger seats, such as those on passenger aircraft, busses, trains, and the like, are designed with deployable tray tables to allow a passenger to rest a drink, meal, computer, or other items during travel. In some instances, the tray table may be stowed in a compartment on one side of the passenger seat that deploys in a horizontal plane.
In some instances, these tray tables may be mounted on linkages, arms, or other motion works that allow for concurrent rotational and translational movement throughout the range of motion of the tray table. Current tray tables that allow for concurrent translation and rotation in the deployed position can be difficult to move because a passenger must not only move the tray table but also stabilize it to prevent unintended rotation. If the tray table rotates or translates into a partially stowed position it may lead to spills or items on the tray table being knocked off the tray table. As a result, a passenger may have difficulty adjusting the tray table for comfort or during ingress and egress from the seat while the tray table is in use.
The present invention provides, among other things, a deployable tray table that may have two distinct regimes of movement. The tray table may have a deployment motion that combines translation and rotation to allow the tray table to pivot and rotate as it moves into and out of a stowage space. The tray table may also have a deployed motion where the tray table is limited to a fore and aft translation without a rotational component to the motion. The restriction of rotational movement may allow a passenger to adjust the tray without the need to stabilize rotational movement. The tray table with a stabilized rotational movement in the deployed position accommodates different passenger seating positions and ingress and egress from the seat while the tray table is deployed with a reduced risk of unintentional motion. In certain embodiments, the separation of deployed adjustment motion and deployment motion may also provide a more natural movement to the passenger. Some embodiments of the present invention may also provide for a simplified, lighter, and more compact motion works and may present opportunities for installation of thinner tray tables.